Variable-speed gear.



PATENTBD SEPT. 8, 1908. R. 0. COUCH.

R A E G D E E P. S E. L B A I R A V APPLICATION FILED 00T. 12, 1907.

KN I l Lllll wir" ease:

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

ROYDEN 0. COUCH, 0F CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEAR.

n Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8,1908.

Application filed October 12, 1907. Serial No. 397,138.

State of West Virginia, have invented-new..

and useful Im rovements in Variable-Speed Gear, of whic the following is a specification.

This invention relates to variable speed gears for the transmission of power in automobiles and motor vehicles and all kinds of machinery where it is desired to control the variation of speed; and the invention hasfor its object to provide aniinproved friction gearing for the transmission of power wherey the speed may be positively and quickly controlled.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the' improved construction and novel arrangement. and combination of arts which will be fully hereinafter describe and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawin s has been illustrated a simple and preferre form of the invention; it being/however, understood that no limitation-is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of a transmission'gearing constructed in accordance with the invention, the parts being positioned for the transmission of power at relatively low speed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing th'e parts ositiordied for the transmission of power at high spee l Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The main line shaft 1 which is supported for rotation in a suitable bearing 2 is driven fromany suitable source of power, not shown. Said line shaft carries at one end a cone pulley 3, and it also has a ball race 4 wherein anti-friction balls 5 are' mounted for engagement with the bearing 2; the opposite end of said bearing is engaged by a thrust collar 6 upon the lmeshaft, whereby longitudinal movement of said line shaft is prevented. The bearing 2 is s orted in` a frame F which includes an udllolliqluely disposed cross bar 7 having slots 8 an( supporting a slidable box 9 which is provided withl connecting members, such as bolts 10 engaging the slots 8 whereby said box 1s guided for movement upontheobliquesupporting member 7. An adjusting lever 11 is provided having a slot 12 that engages a pin 13 upon the box 9, which latter, by means of the lever 11, may be moved Vto various positions upon the bar or supporting member 7. Suitable means may be provided to retain the lever 11 and related parts at various adjustments; but such retaining means are well known in the art, and it has been deemed unnecessary to illustrate the same.`

Supported for rotation in the box 9 is a shaft 14 carrying a large driving cone or con'- ical disk 15, the inner face of which is engaged vby the cone pulleyv 3 which latter is rovided 'with a facing or 'wear surface 16 of iieather, indurated fiber or other suitable material which will provide for a good degree of friction without subjecting the parts to excessive wear. The shaft 14 is connected with the shaft 17 that is to be driven by means including a pair of knuckles or universal joints 18, a sleeve 19, anda shaft section 2() ltelescoping in the sleeve, said parts being provided in order to enable motion to be transmitted in various positionsof the shaft 14 carrying the friction cone 15. It is obvious that the driven shaft 17 may or may not be located in alinement with the shaft 1, which is driven from the source of power and from which motion is transmittedl to the said shaft 17.

' The frame bar 7 supports a slidable box 21 having bearings for a shaft 22 carrying a pressure roller 23 which is adapted to press exteriorly'against the friction cone 15, near the rim or free edge of the latter. Supported slidably in a bearing 24 upon the frame F, adjacent to the bearing 2 of the shaft 1, is a shaft 25 carrying a cone pulley 26 which is ada ted to engage the friction cone 15 interior y, at a point nearly opposite to the pulley 23. lThe shaft 25 has a collar 27 between which and the bearing box 24 there i's interlposed a spring 28 actuating the shaft 25 to old the pulley 26 normally out of engagement with the friction cone 15, but by means of a suitably supported lever 29 the shaft 25 may be moved against the tension of the spring 28 to place the cone pulley 26 in activo engagement with the friction cone 15. The

roo

` by an arrow in Fig. 1, the movement being ries a cylindrical ulley, 30, adapted for en gagement with a similar cylindrical pulle 31 upon the shaft 1, adjacent to the rear si e of the-cone ulley 3. The box or bearing 24 carrying' t e shaft 25 is capable of a limited sliding movement laterally, and a flat spring, 32, interposed between the boxes 2 and 24 serves to force the latter normally in an outward direction, away from the former. When the shaft 25 is moved against the tension of the spring 28 to place the cone pulley 26 in engagement with the friction cone 15, the pressure of the latter upon the pulley 26 will effect a lateral movement of the box 24 against the tension of the spring 32 until the pulley 30 frictionally engages the'pulley 31, and the pulley 26 will thus constitute a reversing medium whereby the direction of thev motion transmitted may be reversed in transmission.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings. hereto annexed, the o eration and advantages of this invention wifi be readily understood by those skilled inthe art to which it ap ertains.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the riction cone has been shown in a position where the rim or edge of said cone may be engaged by the cone pulley 3 which is mounted u on the driven shaft 1; it is obviousthat in t is` osition several rotations of the shaft 1 w' l be needed yto accomplish one rotation of the -transmission may be increased by moving the friction cone 15 in the direction indicated readily effected by means of the lever 11. The maximum speed is rattained when` the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 Where the cone pulley 3 is at the inner extremity of the friction cone 15. When it is desired to reverse the motion, the ulley 23 lis released from engagement with t e friction cone, and the lever 29 is actuated to move the shaft 25 against the tension of the spring 28 until the When the lever29y is released, the parts will .what is c be restored to initial position by the action of the springs 28 and 32.

Having aimedas new is:-

In a device of the class described, a dfiven shaft, a cone pulley mounted on the driven shaft, a bearing member supported for obli ue movement with relation to the driven s aft, a transmission shaft journaledin the bearing member, a friction cone upon .the transmission shaft adapted for direct en'- gagement with the cone pulley upon the driven shaft, and a slidably supported pulley thus fully described the invention, l

arranged adjacent to the pulley upon the driven shaft and adapted to force the friction cone into active engagement therewith.

2. Ina device of the class described, a driven shaft support for rotation, a conical friction pulley and a cylindrical friction pul-l ley upon said shaft, an4 obliquely movable shaft, a friction cone upon the obliquely 'movable shaft, a longitudinally movable shaft supported adj acentto the main driven shaft, and a cone pulley and a cylindrical pulley upon the longitudinally movable shaft adapted for .simultaneous engagement with the cylindrical pulley upon .the main driven shaft and with the friction cone upon the obliqpely movable shaft.

t n a device of the class described, a main driven shaft, a cone pulley mounted thereon,

an obliquely movable transmission shaft, `a

friction -cone mounted thereon, means for preventing endwise thrust or movement of the main shaft, and friction means for simul taneous engagement with 'and transmission of motion between the friction-cone and the cone ulley.

4. n a device of the class'described, a

driven shaft supported for rotation, a conical friction pulley and a cylindrical friction pulley upon said shaft, an obliquely movable shaft, a friction cone upon the obliquely j movable shaft, a laterally slidable spring ac.- tu ated boxing supported adjacent to the main driven shaft,l a longitudinally movable sprin actuated shaft supported for rotation in said boxing, and a cone pulley and a cylindrical pulley upon the longitudinally movable shaft adapted for simultaneous engagement with the cylindrical pulley upon the main driven shaft and With the friction cone upon the obliquely movable shaft.l

In testimony whereof I affixfmy signature in presence `of two Witnesses.

RoYDEN o. ooUoH. f y 

